The long tales of a tail/less ape

March 13, 2017 Monday

Bedtime Story

al-Khwarizimi and his Al-Jabr and Muqabala

So these were the men who preceded Franciscus Vieta, the man who had developed the early modern algebraic notation.

These Italians had taken the baton from the likes of al-Khwarizmi, the Persian genius, and perhaps the founder of algebra.

Algebra at the time of Vieta was still primitive as it lacked the systematic rules of arithmetic and the rigor of Greek geometry.

Today the bond between algebra and geometry in inseparable; so much so that they seem to be two sides of a single coin.

In contrast to modern algebra, it then needed to be applied in a more geometrical way.

Likewise, geometry had to be tackled in an algebraic manner raising the scope of greater analytical calculation in the plane.

Vieta would end the textual form of al-jabr and muqabala operations of algebra as was founded by al-Khwarizmi by creating a symbolic form of algebra.

Al-jabr refers to “restoration” or “completion”, meaning adding a term to both sides of an equation either to consolidate or cancel certain terms.

It is one of the basic operations that is performed on equations as we are now all aware.

Moreover, this Arabic term is the basis for derivation of the modern term algebra.

Let me give you an example of al-jabr or the restoration operation.

Say you have the equation:

x² = 70x – 6x²

Adding 6x² to both sides begets the equation:

7x² = 70x

This operation is the al-jabr and its prime use was to get rid of all the negative units, roots and squares.

As if this was not enough to immortalize this great Persian genius, we have another term that comes from him more familiar to my computing friend.

The word algorithm is derived from Algoritmi, the Latin form of his name al-Khwarizmi.

Another similar term that al-Khwarizmi introduced was the muqabala that refers to “balancing” of the equations on both the sides.

Let me show you how muqabala operates.

Say you have the equation:

X² + 15 = x – 1

We can reduce it to:

X² + 16 = x

This operation is muqabala.

So muqabala helps in bringing quantities of the same type to the same side of the equation.

Stay tuned to the voice of an average story storytelling chimpanzee or login at http://panarrans.blogspot.in/

Good night mon ami and my fellow cousin ape.

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Another great educator and a teacher that I am aware of is Professor Subhashish Chattopadhyay in Bangalore, India.

While I narrate stories, Professor Subhashish an electronic engineer and a former professor at BARC, does and teaches real mathematics and physics.

He started the participation of Indian students at the International Physics Olympiad.

Do visit him here:

All his books can be downloaded for free through this link:

For edutainment and English education of your children, I recommend this large collection of Halloween Songs for Kids:

Monday, March 13, 2017